If you own an Instant Pot, you know how convenient it is when it comes to cutting down the time it takes to cook food, all through the magic of heat and steam. But while Instant Pot has kitchen prowess, it can’t cook everything safely. And for some foods, you may find the results inferior to more traditional cooking methods like using a stovetop or air fryer.
Steer clear of these 10 items and dishes you shouldn’t try to cook in your classic Instant Pot. And for more cooking tips, check out nine cooking hacks that actually work, why you might be ruining your chef’s knife and the top slow cooker mistakes to avoid.
Crunchy, crispy food
Unless you’ve purchased a specialty model, your Instant Pot is not a pressure fryer and isn’t designed for the higher temperatures needed to heat cooking oil for something like crispy fried chicken. Of course, an Instant Pot is perfect for a dish like carnitas, but to get the final crisp on the meat, after you remove the meat from the Instant Pot, transfer to a skillet and brown for a few minutes or on a baking sheet to crisp up in a hot oven. (However, if you’re looking for an air fryer that will get your food nice and crispy, you can check out our tested picks for the best air fryers of 2023).
Dairy
Just like in a slow cooker, most dairy products such as cheese, milk and sour cream will curdle in an Instant Pot, no matter if you use the pressure cooking setting or the slow cooking setting. Add these ingredients after the dish cooks or avoid making the recipe in the Instant Pot altogether.
There are two exceptions. One is when you’re making yogurt, and that’s only if you use a recipe specifically for an Instant Pot. The other is if you’re making a cheesecake, and again, only if you’re following an Instant Pot recipe.
Pasta
While you technically can cook pasta in an Instant Pot, it may come out gummy or unevenly cooked. Honestly, unless you don’t have the option, boiling the pasta in a pot on a stovetop is just as fast and easy and will yield consistently better cooked pasta.
Two recipes at once
Cooking a roast with potatoes and carrots is a time-honored recipe, right? Not in this case. Don’t try to cook a main dish with a side dish in your Instant Pot. They may fit in the pot together, but each food will need its own cooking time. Cooking items together will inevitably result in a dry or mushy mess.
Cakes
You aren’t really baking a cake in an Instant Pot, you’re steaming it. The cake will be moist — which works for something like bread pudding — but you won’t get a nice crust on the cake or the chewy edges that everyone fights over with baked brownies. However, if you do need to throw something together for a potluck or quick family dessert, you can get a moist sponge in half an hour or so, excluding prep time.
Foods for canning
Canning, the art of cooking and sealing foods in jars, is often done in a pressure cooker. So, it may seem like a good idea to make a batch of jams, pickles or jellies in your Instant Pot. Don’t do it.
With an Instant Pot, you’re not able to monitor the temperature of what you’re canning as you would with a regular pressure cooker. With canning, cooking and sealing the food correctly is key. Improper cooking and sealing can lead to bacteria growth that can cause food poisoning.
While you want to avoid canning with an Instant Pot, some of the newer models (like the Duo Plus) do have a sterilize setting that lets you clean baby bottles and kitchen items like jars and utensils.
Rare or medium-rare meats
A pressure cooker is not a barbecue. An Instant Pot does great with tougher cuts of meat — which the pressure cooker can easily break down — but not so good with ones that are best eaten medium-rare, like a steak. Save those for the grill.
Yellow and red lentils
We love lentils, but not all of them can be cooked in an Instant Pot. Brown and green lentils can hold up to pressure cooking, but the more delicate yellow and red versions turn to mush because they cook so quickly. Unless you’re purposely making lentil soup or dhal, stick to cooking red and yellow lentils on the stove to preserve their texture and shape.
Sous-vide
Don’t try this trendy method of cooking with most Instant Pots models. The Instant Pot Max is an exception because it gives you the ability to accurately control the cooking temperature. If you don’t own an Instant Pot that has that level of control, you are better off using an Instant Pot attachment to do your sous-vide cooking, if you are really set on using your pressure cooker this way.
Seafood
In general, seafood such as fish, oysters, shrimp, muscles and clams are just too delicate for pressure cooking and slow cooking modes. They are foods that are meant to be cooked quickly at just the right temperature, which is hard to do with an Instant Pot. A few seconds too long or at the wrong temperature and you can end up with mush or rubbery lumps.
Besides, fish, shellfish and crustaceans are easily cooked with other methods, so breaking out the Instant Pot for them won’t guarantee better results as it can for tougher meats.
The only exception is octopus and squid. Pressure cooking these tough creatures can make them tender while keeping the meat juicy. Just be sure to find a recipe that is specifically for the Instant Pot.
Simple dinners that are packed with healthy foods.
Usually after a long, busy day, the absolute last thing you want to do is cook a meal, especially when you can order takeout with the click of a button. But if you’re trying to pack more nutrients into your meals, these superfood dinner recipes may be just what you’re looking for. We put together a list of the most flavorful recipes that are packed with superfoods, like leafy greens, hearty beans, creamy yogurt, and more. The best part is, most of these meals can be whipped up in about 30 minutes, which is ideal for those hectic weeknights.
From tangy buffalo cauliflower and chia pilaf with pesto, to citrus baked salmon and smoky beef sliders, you may want to try them all!
This simple slow-cooker chicken recipe has it all: flavor, aromatic spices, and superfoods like fresh ginger and creamy yogurt. The best part is, you can easily throw this meal together in the morning and it will be ready by dinnertime.
A Mediterranean twist on traditional sliders? Yep, they’re as delicious as they sound. Whether served with pita or on top of a salad, the combination of mouthwatering spiced beef patties with creamy, garlicky tzatziki (made with superfood yogurt!) is hard to beat.
Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable—one you can transform into pizza crust, gnocchi, and even Buffalo “wings”. If you’re craving Buffalo chicken but want a healthier, non-fried alternative, try these delectable cauli bites (and make sure you don’t skimp on the homemade yogurt ranch!)
Chia seeds are most commonly used in smoothies, acai bowls, or to make an overnight pudding, but did you know you could also add them to savory meals? Take your typical rice pilaf up a notch by adding this tiny yet powerful superfood. And since chia seeds absorb liquid, they’ll help make your standard rice dish extra creamy.
What happens when you swap walnuts for pistachios in pesto? You get a vibrant, refreshing sauce or condiment. Make this hearty and herby meal for an upcoming celebration, or for a casual date night at home.
Baked salmon is delicious, and it’s also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help decrease inflammation in the body. Aside from that, it has countless vitamins and minerals that are important for our overall health. This 30-minute meal is nutritious, flavorful, and only requires six ingredients.
Here’s another heart-healthy dinner that tastes gourmet but can be made in 30 minutes. This is the perfect meal to make on a cold winter’s night, plus it’s loaded with superfoods like halibut, cannellini beans, and olive oil.
This plant-based dish is infused with Moroccan spices like cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and allspice, which perfectly complements the superfood quinoa and tofu. The fact that you can make this dish in just one pot is enough to make it a five-star meal.
Simple, flavorful, and ready in 20 minutes? Now that’s the ultimate weeknight meal. This baked salmon is lightly seasoned and then paired with a light and refreshing yogurt, cucumber, and fennel salad. It will surely become a family favorite.
This grain bowl is anything but ordinary. In fact, it’s as beautiful as it is delicious. The protein-packed quinoa and avocado help make it satisfyingly filling, and the beet and ginger dressing adds a smooth yet tangy flavor.
If you haven’t roasted a whole head of cauliflower before, what are you waiting for? This is an incredible plant-based dinner option because it’s easy to throw together and calls for tasty ingredients like salty feta, juicy grapes, and fresh oregano.
Since making mole from scratch can be time consuming, the secret to this dish is grabbing a pre-made jar from the store. It adds such depth and flavor to a classic quinoa and black bean bowl, and it’s a great meal to prep on busy weeknight.
If you’re looking for a protein-packed dinner, look no further than this Asian-inspired ginger meatball bowl with bok choy and ramen noodles. The pork meatballs are seasoned with fresh ginger, scallions, and soy sauce, which make them absolutely mouthwatering. And the broth, which is spiked with superfood miso, will warm your belly after the first spoonful.
The best way to end a meal is with a dreamy dessert that satiates your craving for something sweet, which is why these chocolate dessert recipes will be such a big hit at your next get-together. From simple, no-bake treats that take only a few minutes to throw together to more involved, impressive cakes, cookies and brownies, these recipes make for the perfect after-dinner (or afternoon) snack.
On this list, you’ll find some super-sweet recipes you can make when you’re feeling extra indulgent. If you’re usually team savory rather than team sweet, we’ve got you covered with low-key desserts that highlight flavors such as tahini or creamy peanut butter, keeping things only slightly sweet. There are even some healthy-ish dessert recipes that still manage to let the rich chocolate flavor shine—and they taste even better when you sprinkle some flaky salt on top.
Whether you’re an avid baker or you’re more of the set-it-and-forget-it type, you’re bound to find a chocolate dessert recipe that you’ll want to make over and over again.
Let’s be real: Not all of us want to spend hours preparing and baking a dessert. If you’re on the hunt for a simple dessert that you can prep in 30 minutes or less, look no further than this no-bake chocolate and raspberry tart, complete with a crispy cookie base, a rich mousse filling and plump raspberries that tie it all together.
There’s nothing like a late-night diner run to obtain the perfect slice of chocolate pie — unless, of course, you can make it at home. That’s just what this easy chocolate pie recipe offers. The secret ingredient is powdered malt Ovaltine, which results in a rich, indulgent flavor.
S’mores are the campfire dessert of choice (this is not up for debate). However, if you’re not gathered around a crackling fire, this s’mores chocolate cream pie is the next best thing. A mountain of bouncy, slightly burnt marshmallows tops the chocolatey pudding filling, which rests on a bed of crushed graham crackers.
Pecan pie is a classic dessert for Thanksgiving, but it’s even better when you add chocolate into the mix. This sophisticated recipe is surprisingly simple to make. Just don’t forget the crème fraîche topping, which adds a creaminess that is a delicious contrast against the crunchy, nutty filling.
Christina Tosi has made a name for herself with her gorgeous, decadent cakes at her iconic Milk Bar chain, and now, you can make one of her mouthwatering creations at home with this red velvet layer cake recipe. Cream cheese frosting is smeared between layers of richly colored red velvet cake, creating a finished product that’s almost as pretty as it is delicious.
This molten brigadeiro cake is inspired by the popular truffle candy from Brazil, but in this recipe, it takes the form of a rich chocolate cake with a lava-like chocolate filling. It’s rich, it’s indulgent and it’s not nearly as difficult to make as it may look. Finish it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an even more exciting treat.
Moist, decadent chocolate cupcakes can only be improved with a buttercream frosting. Add caramel into the mix and it’s transformed into an intensely sweet — albeit balanced — dessert that you’ll want to serve at every event.
Mayonnaise belongs on sandwiches, in tuna salad and… in chocolate cake? While you can’t actually taste the mayo in this chocolate cake, it adds a richness that’s hard to achieve with eggs and oil alone.
Peanut butter and chocolate go together like, well, peanut butter and jelly. Make sure you use smooth peanut butter for this recipe, as it more evenly mixes in with the thick chocolate frosting than the chunky variety. Together, they create an unforgettable dessert experience.
If chocolate-hazelnut spreads are your love language, then this recipe for chocolate cupcakes with a luscious and nutty buttercream is what you’ve been looking for your entire life.
This dark chocolate-packed soufflé cake is so heavy, dense and chocolatey that the center of it sinks, creating an interesting texture in this deeply satisfying dessert that your guests won’t soon forget.
If Hostess cupcakes were a childhood favorite in your household, then you need to get your hands on this even more delicious homemade version. From the sweet créme frosting to the decadent chocolate cake, no one would ever guess that this recipe is completely vegan.
Admit it: baking from scratch can be a pain. If you want to make things a bit easier for yourself, this chocolate cake recipe from Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman) utilizes boxed cake mix so you can get your dessert into the oven in a matter of minutes. Colorful rainbow sprinkles add visual appeal and a bit of texture to boot.
Move over, peanut butter. This chocolate chip cake recipe balances sweetness with the salty nuttiness of tahini. Top it off with a vegan chocolate frosting, and you have a healthy-ish dessert that’s sure to be a hit… if you want to share it, that is.
This chocolate cake by Martha Stewart is undeniably sweet, which is why the salted caramel is such a perfect pairing. The sugar and salt balance each other out, leaving you with an unbelievably rich, unbelievably moist chocolate cake that always hits the spot. Don’t forget to top it with another sprinkle of flaky salt.
There are few desserts more special than lava cake, so it’s no surprise that this recipe, which also calls for salted caramel, is luscious, warm and downright awe-inducing. Topping it with a scoop of chocolate ice cream creates a tasty temperature contrast that helps highlight those bold flavors.
If you need an excuse to open a bottle of beer while you’re baking, let this recipe for chocolate Irish stout cupcakes be it. Not only does the addition of beer help to create a light, fluffy texture, but it also adds a depth and complexity to the flavor profile of this dessert.
Baking a bundt cake doesn’t have to be difficult. By using instant pudding and a box cake mix — plus some chocolate chips and sour cream — you can have this comforting cake ready in about an hour.
Flourless cakes are ubiquitous for a reason: Not only are they incredibly simple to make, but they tend to have a richness and silkiness you just can’t achieve with recipes that call for flour. Adding some powdered sugar on top of this beautiful cake is a pretty — and effortless — touch.
When it comes to our chocolate dessert ideas, this is the best of the best. Guinness is the not-so-secret ingredient in this chocolate cake recipe, and it gives the cake a super light, almost bouncy texture that’s hard not to love. The cream cheese icing is understated but ultra-creamy.
You might have experimented with a lot of chocolate chip cookie recipes in your life, but this one is an absolute must-try. The trick to these crunchy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside chocolate chip cookies? Freezing scoops of dough before putting them in the oven to bake.
Melted marshmallows are at their best when they’re served on top of gooey, fudgy cookies. A sprinkling of chocolate chips adds even more chocolate to the equation, leaving you with an undeniably luxurious dessert experience.
Forget your average chocolate chip cookie recipe and upgrade to this version that utilizes rich brown butter for a spin on the classic treat. Using dark chocolate chunks offers a touch more sophistication than your typical semi-sweet chocolate chips and a sprinkle of flaky salt tops it all off beautifully.
Hobnobs are a delicacy in England, but this Hobnob-inspired cookie recipe takes them to new heights. Oats create the base of the cookies, which are then covered in chocolate and bits of toffee for an intensely flavorful dessert.
This chocolate cookie recipe is the answer for anyone with dietary restrictions. It’s both vegan and gluten-free, so almost everyone around the table will be able to enjoy it. Nobody’s going to feel left out after eating one of these.
You don’t even need a mixer to make this giant skillet chocolate chip cookie that’s big enough to share with friends and family. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, it’s guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
If you’re serious about your love of chocolate, you need to try these triple chocolate chip cookies ASAP. Chocolate cookie dough, milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips all come together to create the most intensely chocolatey cookie you’ve ever tasted. A dusting of powdered sugar on top provides an extra touch of sweetness.
You may think of avocado as a savory food, but its mild flavor and creamy texture means it’s also perfect for adding to chocolate-based desserts, like these luscious brownies. You don’t need to add any butter or oil to give these silky brownies a rich, fudgy bite.
If you love chocolate but have always felt like brownies were just too one-note for your taste, try this recipe for skillet Biscoff brownies. You’ll never guess what the secret ingredient is: steamed potatoes, which help to ensure that every bite is a moist one. It’s the candied hazelnuts that play the real starring role in this recipe, though.
Classic chocolate brownies are delicious enough on their own, but they’re truly at their best with a drizzle of salted caramel on top. The chopped walnuts in these brownies offer an interesting textural element to the recipe, but feel free to leave them out if you don’t like nuts.
Dark chocolate and mint are a match made in heaven, which is why we paired them together in this festive brownie recipe. The chocolate glaze is made with Andes candy and heavy cream, providing just the right amount of texture. It’s perfect for Christmas, but you can make these brownies at any time of the year.
When you can’t choose whether to make cheesecake or brownies, these cheesecake brownie bites are your solution. These two-bite wonders are perfect for party platters (even though you’ll want to keep them all for yourself).
Ditch your plain chocolate brownies and indulge in this Nutella-infused brownie recipe instead. With just four ingredients, you can throw these brownies together at a moment’s notice whenever you get a craving for something sweet.
There’s a lot going on in this brownie recipe, but the seemingly odd combination of Guinness and salt comes together exceptionally well, resulting in a brownie unlike any other you’ve tasted. With a generous smear of peppermint white chocolate icing on top, you’ll see why this is a brownie recipe worth celebrating.
You won’t find a silkier, smoother dessert than Julia Child’s very own chocolate mousse recipe. There’s nothing fussy or complicated about this recipe. Rather, it thrives in its simplicity, offering a supremely enjoyable dessert for surprisingly little work.
Vegans don’t have to miss out on creamy whipped chocolate mousse with this recipe, which calls for aquafaba (the water that comes in a can of chickpeas) in place of egg whites. Add in an ounce of Amaretto liquor and you’ll have mousse that vegans and non-vegans alike will be excited to dig into.
Fondue may seem like a restaurant-only culinary experience, but it’s surprisingly easy to pull off, especially with this simple chocolate fondue recipe. You’ll only need four ingredients to make the perfectly dippable chocolate sauce. Then, snag some fruit, cookies, pretzels and anything else that tastes good dipped in warm, silky chocolate (in our opinion, that’s pretty much everything).
This gorgeous chocolate bark calls for slightly crushed pretzels, toasted hazelnuts, freeze-dried strawberries and pistachios, which all come together to create a jewel-toned dessert that’s almost too pretty to eat.
Reese’s candies don’t have anything on Martha Stewart’s peanut butter cups, which require absolutely no baking. In this simple recipe, melted chocolate and creamy peanut butter take center stage. After four hours in the fridge, the dessert will be hardened and ready to serve.
The bourbon whipped cream is the star of this recipe, and it transforms an already-delicious chocolate bread pudding into a dessert you’d expect to find at a restaurant. It’s also the best way to use up stale, leftover croissants.
You’ve had bread pudding before, but have you ever had bread pudding made with croissants? These pecan- and dark chocolate chunk-studded croissants are soaked in custard and baked until they reach toasty brown perfection.
Cobbler gets a chocolatey upgrade with this recipe that prizes cocoa powder over seasonal fruit. Top it with cherry ice cream for a tart twist, or opt for a combination of caramel sauce and toffee bits if you want to keep things more luxe.
Brown rice crisps are responsible for the crunchy texture of these chocolate bars, which require little more than chocolate and maple syrup to come together into a simple but exciting sweet snack. And since you don’t even have to bake them, you can prep them in a flash.
This fruit-forward dessert dish prizes pears and pecans and pairs them with a gooey chocolate-hazelnut dip. Add some bourbon to the roll-up dough for a deeper, more complex flavor that complements spices such as cinnamon and ginger.
A good chocolate truffle is a beautiful thing to behold. Make sure you use good-quality chocolate with at least 60{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} cacao, since it’s the main ingredient in this easy-to-make recipe. Rolling the finished truffles in cocoa gives these treats a perfectly polished appearance.
You only need three ingredients to make this elegant chocolate dessert — semi-sweet chocolate, eggs and light cream. Put everything in a food processor, and you’ll have an easily shareable chocolate treat in no time. If you want to add an extra layer of complexity to this dessert, scoop a spoonful of instant coffee into the mix.
Forget those plain old chocolate-covered almonds and opt for these almond clusters enrobed in dark chocolate and complemented by chewy shredded coconut mixed with green matcha powder for a pop of color and texture. Use them as the last bite at a dinner party, or keep some next to your desk for the times when you crave a sweet snack.
Dates are delicious on their own, but they really shine when they’re filled with almond butter, covered in chocolate and frozen. The result is a kind of cold candy bar topped with crunchy, flaky salt.
When those late-night dessert cravings hit and your cabinets are nearly void of anything sweet, you can still make this chocolate fudge. All you need are semi-sweet chocolate chips and moist pitted Medjool dates to make your dessert dreams come true.
Classic buckeyes get an upgrade with this recipe for chocolate-covered peanut butter diamonds from celebrated pastry chef Christina Tosi. Crisped rice provides just the right amount of crunch, while a silky ganache topping offers a textural contrast that makes these treats downright irresistible.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
